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These Action-Filled Trips Are Equal Parts Adventure and Relaxation.

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Have the vacation of your dreams with REI Adventures. Tour like a local, craft your own excursion, and eat like a king (or a vegan one, if desired). Go on the adventure you’ve always wanted with REI Adventures.

These trips will give you the best of both worlds—action-packed days and luxurious nights. Spend your evenings in cozy cabins, inns, hotels and more. Refresh yourself with warm showers and all the modern conveniences that these lodges offer. Then, sink into a comfortable (yes, really comfortable!) bed at the end of the day.

To help make sure your next nature-filled odyssey is equal parts adventure and relaxation, we’ve compiled a list of trips that come with the most comfortable accommodations. If you’re thinking about taking any of these trips this year, you’d better act now, these popular trips are filling up fast!


Grand Canyon Hiking – Lodge-based

Quick notes: 4 days – REI Member: $2,499; Non-Members: $2,749 for non-members

Various trip dates available: Apr 2023-Nov 2023

Activity Level: 3

Accommodations: Hotel, 3 nights

Immerse yourself in the history and visual spectacle of Grand Canyon National Park and the red rocks of Sedona. Enjoy unforgettable hikes with expert guides, then relax in cozy park lodging perched on the edge of the canyon’s South Rim.

A hiker is standing on a steep cliff taking in the amazing view over famous Grand Canyon on a beautiful sunny day.

Come for a four-day journey of exploration through an area that’s been around since way before dinosaurs. You’ll have the chance to find fossils, take a dip in a natural spring, and take in the landscape from multiple vantage points lining the canyon rim. You will be able to walk among some of the oldest standing stones on the planet. Your guides will make sure you have a stress-free weekend while hiking routes are carefully chosen to fit your wishes, no matter if you are looking for miles of adventure, a storyteller’s paradise, or a romantic spot where nothing but atmosphere can be found all the way to the horizon. This memorable itinerary promises not to disappoint.

This trip is rated Moderate [3]. Participants should be in very good physical condition and be comfortable with daily hikes of up to 6 miles with elevation gains/losses of up to 2,100′. Hiking trails are composed of dirt, rock and sand with some steep sections and exposed overlooks. All hikes are optional and our guides will brief trip members on the vigorousness and exposure of each hike prior to setting out. Please note that the guide(s) may elect to shorten the daily hiking mileage based on excessively high temperatures with the safety of the group first in mind.

Trip Highlights
  • National Park lodging with canyon-view rooms
  • Hike below the rim and visit famous landmarks such as Ooh-Ahh Point, Hopi Point and Hermit’s Rest
  • Dine in the famous El Tovar Dining Room
  • As an official Dark Sky Park, stargazing the Milky Way is truly breathtaking
  • Hike the red rocks of Sedona and visit the House of Apache Fire
Book Now!

Great Smoky Mountains Hiking – Luxury Camp & Lodge-Based


Olympic National Park Hiking – Lodge-based

Quick notes: 5 days – REI Member: $3,599 US;  Non-Member: $3,899

Various trip dates available: May 2023-Sep 2023

Activity Level: 3

Accommodations: Lake Crescent Lodge Complex, 4 nights

Spend five days enjoying some of Olympic National Park’s greatest hikes during the day and historic accommodations at night.

Photo by REI Adventures.

Discover breathtaking views as you hike up Hurricane Hill. Explore the fascinating tide pools of one of Washington’s most stunning shorelines. Wander through a magical, old-growth forest covered in mossy blankets in the Hoh Rainforest. Enjoy comfortable accommodations at the Lake Crescent Lodge, which is known for its long history and captivating tales. Spend evenings by the fire, creating stories with your travel companions. This is the perfect way to end your exploration and journey in one of Washington’s most glorious places.

This trip is rated Easy Active [2]. Trip members should be capable of hiking 2 to 5 hours each day (up to 6 miles with options for additional hiking) with some steep ascents and descents and elevation gain and loss up to 2,000’.

Trip Highlights
  • Stay at the historic Lake Crescent Lodge complex inside the park
  • Take in the expansive views from Hurricane Hill
  • Explore the stately sea stacks and rugged coastline of Olympic National Park
  • Stand amid a treasure trove of biodiversity in the Hoh Rainforest
  • Hike along the Sol Duc River, a thoroughfare for spawning salmon and trout
Book Now!

Backpacking: Yes you can.

This was my first experience with REI Adventures as well as my first time backpacking. I felt safe and supported, and it was an excellent way to learn. Everything about this trip was well-organized and perfectly executed. – Yve Renee, Superstition Mountains Backpacking

See all backpacking trips

Yosemite Valley Hiking – Lodge Based

Quick notes: 5 days – REI Member: $3,199 US;  Non-Member: $3,499

Various trip dates available: Apr 2023-Oct 2023

Activity Level: 3

Accommodations: Lodge – 4 nights.

Spend five days hiking in one of America’s most iconic national parks, perfectly timed with the changing of the seasons.

Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Valley

This experience celebrates the variety of the changing seasons in Yosemite National Park. REI plans their visits around the highest flow of waterfalls in the spring and the vibrant colors of the aspen, dogwood, oak, and maple trees in the fall. From the incredible rock formations to meadows full of wildflowers, this savored journey is designed to highlight the beauty of Yosemite Valley.

This trip is rated Moderate [3].  Trip members should be capable of hiking up to 9 miles while carrying a daypack that weighs 10-15 pounds on trails with elevation gains/losses of up to 2,700′. Trails will include some steep sections, stairs, and exposed overlooks. The trip guides will brief trip members on the rigorousness and exposure of each hike prior to setting out. Most excursions take place between 4,000-8,000′ in elevation.

Trip Highlights
  • Enjoy the best of Yosemite on a lodge based adventure.
  • See the Valley Floor Loop and Mist Trail with expert local guides
  • Hike to Vernal, Nevada and Yosemite Falls for outstanding views
  • Springtime offers abundant waterfalls and fall provides golden foliage
  • Gaze up at two iconic granite monoliths, Half Dome and El Capitan
Book Now!

Alaska Hiking – Kenai to Denali

Quick notes: 9 days – REI Member: $6,999 US;  Non-Member: $7,699

Various trip dates available: May 2023-Sep 2023

Activity Level: 3

Accommodations: Small hotels and lodges, 8 nights

Spend nine days hiking through some of Alaska’s most dramatic landscapes.

Midway through the journey, transition from vast ocean coastline to otherworldly alpine scenery in Denali National Park. Photo by REI.

The majestic Alaskan wilderness will take your breath away with its unending, awe-inspiring views. This incredible journey highlights some of the most iconic sites of Alaska, making it the ideal trip for those thrill-seekers who are determined to scratch Alaska off their bucket lists. From the stunning coastline, to the lofty mountains, to the expansive tundra, you won’t be disappointed.

This trip is rated as Moderate [3]. It is not necessary to be an expert hiker to participate but you should feel comfortable spending 4–6 hours on-trail during most days and arrive at the beginning of the trip in as good a shape as possible. These daily hikes average 4.5-9 miles in length. Two of the hiking days involve substantial elevation gain/loss (2,200’–3,500′) and some steep terrain.

Trip Highlights
  • Explore Alaska’s spectacular coastal and interior regions on this hiker’s sampler
  • Hike to the massive Harding Icefield and marvel at its otherworldly beauty
  • Take a glacier cruise in Kenai Fjords National Park in search of marine wildlife
  • Hike in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge surrounded by a million acres of wilderness
  • Hike Denali National Park in the shadow of North America’s highest peak
Book Now!

About REI Adventures

At Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) they believe a life outdoors is a life well-lived!

Since 1938, they have been your local outdoor co-op, working to help you experience the transformational power of nature. REI brings you top-quality gear and apparel, expert advice, rental equipment, inspiring stories of life outside and outdoor experiences to enjoy alone or share with your friends and family. And because they have no shareholders, with every purchase you make with REI, you are choosing to steward the outdoors, support sustainable business and help the fight for life outside.

Adventure travel as you want it REI Adventures will make your dream vacation a reality. Discover places like a local, explore with your own itinerary, and dine like royalty (or a vegan king, if that’s preferred).


Skyblue Featured Video: REI Co-op Studios Presents: ‘To Touch the Earth’ with Hike Clerb founder Evelynn Escobar

Hike Clerb is an LA-based intersectional women’s hike club and 501c(3) founded in 2017 by changemaker, Evelynn Escobar. Inspired to take action by the lack of representation of people of color in the outdoors, Hike Clerb was born as a radical solution to this issue and more. We are equipping Black, Indigenous, women of color with the tools, education, resources and experiences they need to collectively heal in nature from Los Angeles and beyond.


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